Search Documents

By Charles M. McCulloch

This Bureau of Mines report discusses the principles of using computers to draw maps and plot geologic data of mining areas. The types of maps that can be drawn by a computer are reviewed, using as examples two separate areas where poor roof and gas emissions caused mining problems. Such maps can be used not only to help identify problem areas, but also to predict areas where problems could occur, thus giving mine operators time to work out solutions prior to mining. The average cost of a computer-drawn map for a mine property is less than $100, including computer time and man-hours for data preparation.

Jan 1, 1976

By William B. Millar

IN ONTARIO development of the gold mines is being rapidly pushed, while the intensity of the search for new mines has probably not been equaled at any time in the past. Even to outline the results of recent prospecting activity in Ontario would be a big undertaking, but it would be timely and, I hope, interesting to Institute members to review some generalities regarding the work of the prospector and then to discuss in some detail the growth of Ontario's most promising prospect area, the Swayze district, where serious mining operations are already under way. Probably no one writing about prospectors and pros¬pecting can resist hoping that his article will not reach the eyes of a certain portion of the uninformed general public and cause a further influx of "prospective prospectors" into any given area. It is somewhat mystifying how so many people reach the conclusion that prospecting is in

Jan 1, 1933

By Angelina Anani, Seffit Aderuyi, Sylvester Avane, Joseph Wilson-Sey, Amatus Niminye

The Edikan mine in Ayamfuri, Ghana, faces economic challenges and community resistance due to its proximity to residential areas, particularly concerning blasting operations. Controlled blasting trials using air deck applications were conducted to address community concerns by minimizing environmental impacts and explosive costs. This method involves utilizing an air gap within blast holes to prolong the action of shock waves on the rock mass, enhancing crack formation and reducing rock movement. The trial project at the Edikan open pit gold mine aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of air deck blasting in reducing ground vibrations and overpressures, and to assess its impact on blast performance and economics in the prevailing geological conditions of meta-sediment and hard granite rocks. Results indicated lower Peak Particle Velocity (PPV) and Peak Sound Pressure Levels (PSPL) values in the air-decked blasts. Additionally, more uniform rock fragmentation and enhanced blast economics were achieved. Explosive costs were reduced by 20–24%, saving $0.97 to $2.24 per hole depending on the rock type. Overall blasting costs per volume decreased to $0.54 in granite and $0.48 in meta-sediment compared to conventional methods.

Jan 21, 2025

By Laurie Meyer

The need for improved, high confidence estimates of nodule abundance to support mine permitting, detailed mine planning and mining and processing equipment design is evident. To date, physical samples represent the ?Gold Standard? for nodule abundance measurement, and are likely to remain as such. However, there are some interesting improvements in the area of 3-D scanning which, if marinized for operations at 6000m, may prove to be reliable alternative methods for mapping abundance over large areas particularly if calibrated or benchmarked with physical sample data. . Features of a high confidence physical sampling device, such as the 0.75m2 (0.86m on a side) box corer developed and successfully used by the Kennecott Group for exploration in the CCZ, take into account not only the accuracy in nodule sample collection but a host of other operability considerations which can mean the difference between a successful exploration cruise yielding high numbers of large area samples and one in which few, inaccurate, often inconclusive samples are collected (or, even worse, the sampler fails to grab any nodules for any number of reasons). The collection of physical samples at appropriate spacing within a mine area combined with more qualitative indications of nodule density such as can be obtained using acoustic backscatter should prove adequate for the near term objectives related to overall abundance appraisal or estimates of ?indicated? resource. Looking ahead, exploration cruises will need to yield increasing amounts of data to support development of higher confidence resource abundance estimates to support issuance of mining permits and detailed design of mining plans and equipment. It is likely

Sep 14, 2011

By L. W. Luo

Zeolite in some regions or countries of the world have been the subjects of materials for environmental remediation involving the use of removal to heavy metal ions and some organic pollutant as a sorbent because of its capacious ions exchange and huge surface area. This article addresses the equilibrium and kinetics for manganese adsorption using zeolite modified by hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (HTMAB) as a sorbent material over a range of pH between 3.4~7.2 with eight different Mn(?) solution concentrations. PHzpc (pH of zero point charge) of the sorbent was examined according to the method proposed by Tripathy and Kanungo, and a value of 6.91 was obtained. The experimental data fit langmuir?s model for the majority of pH and Mn(?) solution concentrations tested (0.92<R2<0.97). The maximal adsorption capacity, qm ascending with pH between 3.4~7.2, rise from 15.01mg?g-1 at 3.4 to 19.46 mg?g-1 at 7.2. Besides, the constant of Freundlich Kf have the same trend with qm, increases with pH ascending. And the sorption intensity, represented by parameter 1/n in Freundlich?s model, is favorable in entire range of metal ions concentration studied. Finally, kinetics data accurately fit to pseudo-second order which indicate that there must be sorption of Mn(?) behavior occurring on inner-sphere of the sorbent.

Jan 1, 2014

By Diankun Lu, Ganfeng Tu, Edouard Asselin, Feng Xie

A novel separation process for detoxifying cadmium-containing residues arising from zinc hydrometallurgical processes has been developed. An initial investigation indicated that a high concentration of zinc in the sulfate solution can be effectively separated from cadmium by solvent extraction with P204 (di(2-ethylhexly)phosphoric acid, D2EHPA). The mixture of sulfuric acid and ammonium citrate ((NH4)3C6H5O7) is thus used to extract metals from the residue at room temperature. Copper in the leachate is recovered by solvent extraction (SX) with LIX 973. Cobalt in the raffinate from the copper SX process is recovered by precipitation with a-nitroso-ß-naphthol. The results show that more than 50% of the copper and virtually all the zinc, cadmium and cobalt in the residue can be leached under the experimental conditions used here. Virtually all dissolved copper and cobalt can be recovered in the subsequent solvent extraction and precipitation processes. The presence of (NH4)3C6H5O7 could significantly facilitate the extraction of zinc by D2EHPA in the subsequent separation of zinc and cadmium. More than 97% of the dissolved zinc can be recovered through a two-stage counter current solvent extraction process. After separating copper, cobalt and zinc, cadmium can easily be recovered from the solution either by cementation with zinc powder or by electrowinning, while the purified solution can be recycled back to the leaching process.

Jan 1, 2014

By Robert B. Hopler

The hazards which naturally prevail in underground coal mines, always severe and unpredictable due to the loosely-consolidated strata in which coal is frequently found, are increased by the commonly-occurring combination of coal dust, methane, and explosives. It was recognized by the mid-nineteenth century that coal dust was the basic factor contributing to disastrous explosions killing hundreds of miners, and that the ignition of methane gas was often the source of the coal dust explosions. It was apparent that preventing the ignition of methane was a critical part of avoiding these disasters, and it was also apparent that one cause of such ignitions was the firing of explosives. In addition, it was found that dust explosions were often initiated by blown-out shots of explosives in the absence of methane.

Jan 1, 1996

By Masami Hayashi

Cost evaluations were made for five processes for producing 100,000 tons of electrorefined copper per year from a chalcopyrite concentrate. The processes were (1) conventional smelting with all furnace gases vented to the atmosphere; (2) conventional smelting with converter gases routed to an acid plant and reverberatory gases vented to the atmosphere; (3) conventional smelting with converter gases routed to an acid plant and reverberatory gases to a citrate system plant; (4) conventional smelting with all furnace gases routed to a citrate system plant; and (5) a modified smelting process in which the concentrate is roasted before being charged to the reverberatory furnace, with roaster and converter gases routed to an acid plant. The total fixed capital costs of the plants were estimated as (1) $56.7 million, (2) $77.4 million, (3) $87.2 million, (4) $73.9 million, and (5) $77.0 million, respectively. Total S02 removal from stack gases as sulfuric acid or sulfur for each process was (1) none, (2) 66 percent, (3) 99 percent, (4) 98 percent, and (5) 78 percent. Assuming no credit for byproduct sulfur or sulfuric acid, total operating costs per pound of electro-refined copper produced were estimated as (1) $0.081, (2) $0.103, (3) $0.119, (4) $0.111, and (5) $0.103, respectively.

Jan 1, 1974

By B. M. Eiter

The impact of fatigue is seen not only in its effect on the job performance of haul truck operators but also on the health of the operator and the productivity at the mine site. Its impact can even extend outside of the mine site to the health and well-being of the surrounding community (Fourie et al., 2010). In this paper, a case study of a small, surface mining organization is presented. The goal is to highlight the fatigue risk management system implemented at the studied mine site. Mine safety personnel who were interviewed discuss the changes made to the infrastructure of the mine, to administrative areas such as the number of shifts and the use of vacation time, as well as the implementation of new technology into haulage vehicles. This paper reviews how these changes are supported in the research literature.

By A Mooney, G Balog, P Burns, R Brooks

This paper outlines the rationale for the location of the crusher, geotechnical analysis and basis of ground support design, design and scheduling of the chamber and supporting excavations as well as the operational outcomes and lessons learned. Contributions from mining operations, planning, geotechnical and infrastructure teams enabled the Crusher Station One excavation to be completed on schedule, with opportunities taken for underground mining and infrastructure to work safely in parallel to deliver crusher station infrastructure on schedule. Installation of crusher infrastructure was ongoing at the time of writing.

Mar 15, 2021

By B. Haimson

A new loading apparatus was fabricated and used to conduct true-triaxial compression tests on KTB amphibolite, a crystalline basement rock. Tests in dry jacketed samples reveal that the intermediate principal stress has a significant effect on the onset of dilatancy and on rock strength, contrary to the implicit assumption made by Mohr-type failure criteria. Failure is induced through a shear fracture that dips steeply in the direction of the least principal stress. Experimental results lead to a new generalized strength criterion in terms of all three principal stresses. Unjacketed KTB amphibolite specimens, exposed to confining fluid, are considerably weaker than the jacketed ones, despite the negligible porosity and permeability. Failure is facilitated by several closely spaced subparallel tensile cracks normal to the least stress direction. SEM analysis suggests that microcracks developed upon dilatancy onset are penetrated and extended by the confining fluid, bringing about the unexpected rock failure mechanism at reduced stress levels. Un nouveau dispositif à chargement fut fabriqué et utilisé afin de réaliser un vrai essai de compression tri-axial sur KTB amphibolite, une roche cristalline du sous-sol. Les essais effectués sur échantillons enveloppés et secs révèlent que les contraintes principales intermédiaires affectent considérablement le début de la dilatance et la résistance de la roche, contrairement à la supposition fondée sur le critère de rupture de Mohr. La rupture est produite grâce à une cassure de cisaillement très incliner en direction où la contrainte principale est moindre. Ces résultats expérimentaux indiquent un nouveau critère de rupture général en fonction des trois contraintes principales. Les échantillons de KTB amphibolites sans enveloppe, exposés à un liquide confiné, sont considérablement plus faibles que ceux enveloppés, malgré la porosité et la perméabilité négligeable. La rupture est facilitée par plusieurs fissures de traction adjacentes et sub-parallèles, normales à la plus petite contrainte principale. L’analyse SEM suggère que les micro-fissures développent suivant le début de la dilatance, elles sont pénétrées et agrandies par le liquide confiné, produisant un mécanisme de rupture de roche inattendu, ceci à un niveau de contrainte réduit. Ein neuer Ladungsapparat wurde hergestellt um real - triaxiale Druckfestigkeitsversuche in KTB Amphibolit, einem kristallinen Grundgebirgsgestein, durchzuführen. Messungen in trockenen, bedeckten Proben zeigen that die mittlere Hauptspannung eine bedeutende Wirkung auf das Einsetzen von Dilatanz und auf die Stärke des Gesteins hat, im Gegensatz zu der impliciten Annahme auf Grund von Mohr-ähnlichen Versagungskriterien. Versagen ist induziert durch eine Scherfraktur die sich steil in die Richtung der geringsten Haupspannung nach unten senkt. Messergebnisse führen zu einem neuen, verallgemeinerten Stärke Kriterium dass auf alle drei Hauptspannungen basiert ist. Unbedeckte KTB Amphibolit Proben, die unmittelbar den umgebenden Fluiden ausgesetzt sind, sind wesentlich schwächer als bedeckte, trotz geringfügiger Permeabilität und Porosität. Versagen wird gefördert durch mehrere, nebeneinander liegende, sub-parallele Spannungsbrüche, normal zu der geringsten Spannungsrichtung. SEM Analyse lässt vermuten dass Mikrobrüche, die sich beim Überschreiten der Dilatanzschwelle entwickeln, durch die umgebenden Fluiden fortgepflanzt und weiter verbreitet werden, und unerwartet, auf Grund der reduzierten Spannungswerte, den Versagungsmechanismus des Gesteins einleiten

Jan 1, 2003

By M. J. Price

The usage of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is increasing rapidly throughout the Mining Industry, especially in the Industrial Minerals sector. GIS provides an efficient and robust link between spatial (often CADD) and tabular (database/spreadsheet) components. Mineral economists and corporate planners employ GIS to perform market analyses, to source raw materials, and to schedule and monitor deliveries to customers. Exploration and acquisition groups apply spatial analysis to identify high quality resources that meet economic guidelines. Mining regulators and environmental affairs departments expedite and monitor permitting, environmental compliance, and best management practices reclamation through GIS data management and Electronic Permitting. Operations staffs monitor overburden removal, material extraction, quality control, and stockpile volumes with GIS. This paper summarizes the many aspects of GIS in Industrial Minerals. It also introduces and addresses issues and concerns commonly encountered during a mining GIS implementation.

Jan 1, 2001

By Phillip A. Armstrong, Charles A. Lewinsohn, John H. Gordon

"This paper describes the opportunity offered by employing systems based on mixed conductive ceramics, in particular, ceramics conductive to oxygen ions and electrons, in reducing CO2 emissions from metallurgical production. Membranes based on these mixed conducting properties enable commercial viability of several attractive metallurgical processes. One of these processes utilizes modular, ceramic-membrane structures for the generation of pure oxygen, in tonnage quantity. The membrane-based systems offer significant capital savings and operating efficiencies in various metallurgical processes. The current status of this technology is summarized below.IntroductionCryogenic oxygen supply technology is currently the state-of-the-art for applications that require large quantities of oxygen (hundreds to thousands of tons per day). Cryogenic technology, however, requires substantial energy inputs and, hence, adds significant costs and emissions to processes. Furthermore, cryogenic oxygen supply technology is mature and there is relatively little potential for substantial capital cost reduction or efficiency improvement in coming decades. Non-cryogenic technologies offer a means to reduce the environmental footprint and cost of the oxygen supply facility in various applications.Ion Transport membranesCommercially available non-cryogenic air separation technologies, such as adsorption-based and polymeric membrane-based methods, do not afford the economies of scale that the cryogenic distillation enjoys. Therefore, industrial gas industry researchers began searching for alternatives to the relatively inactive and unselective polymeric membrane materials available. In the late 1980’s, Air Products began developing a new class of highly selective membrane materials with exceptionally high activity for oxygen transport. The materials constitute a class of oxide ceramics, and conduct both oxygen (as oxygen ions) and electrons in the same membrane, separating oxygen from air electrochemically. Numerous detailed process economics studies have shown that, based on these ion-transport membranes (ITM’s), the cost of oxygen can be reduced by approximately one-third relative to that obtained from state-of-the-art cryogenic oxygen supply technology, through a combination of capital cost savings and efficiency improvements. [1,2,3]"

Jan 1, 2008

By J K. Claflin, S R. La Brooy

A case study from a current Ausenco project is presented to demonstrate the importance of maintaining high carbon activity to illustrate the driving force for plant improvements such as a carbon regeneration kiln upgrade.This paper revisits the factors that influence carbon activity for gold loading, with emphasis on deactivation by organic solution components such as flotation reagents.Kiln process design requirements for effective thermal regeneration are reviewed including the interaction of parameters such as temperature, kiln atmosphere and residence time.The different types of kilns that have been used for carbon reactivation are described. A check list is provided of what to look for when purchasing a carbon reactivation system for dealing with severely fouled carbon. This covers the ancillary equipment as well as the kiln itself.While the effectiveness of the carbon reactivation kiln is vital to maintenance of high carbon activity it needs to be remembered that this is only the end of pipe solution. It is also important to ensure that reagents such as frothers and flotation collectors are appropriately chosen to maximise recovery and at the same time minimise carbon deactivation.CITATION:La Brooy, S R and Claflin, J K, 2013. Carbon management in a high gold price environment, in Proceedings MetPlant 2013 , pp 455-467 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 15, 2013

By RICHARD MAIZE

IN this critical period of our history, the coal industry of the nation, faced with many obstacles, performed its work safely during the first ten months of 1943. Thousands of the younger mine workers were inducted into the armed forces of our country and in many instances their jobs have been filled by others without much if any experience and training. This situation alone would seem to be sufficient to interfere with the safe and orderly operation of the industry but the Government&apos;s demand for a substantial increase in coal tonnage over that produced in normal times introduced a hazard which always accompanies speed, regardless of the skill of the worker.

Jan 1, 1944

By Unkown

To the Membership of the Institute Gentlemen: The Mineral Industry of Canada in 1948 The preliminary estimate issued by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics and tabulated in the Bulletin of January, 1949, indicated that the value of Canada&apos;s mineral production in 1948 reached an all-time high of $808,180,216, showing an increase of 25 per cent over the previous record of $644,696,007 established in the preceding year. The output value of metallics was increased by 22.4 per cent; of fuels, by 43.7 percent of other non-metallics, by 19 per &apos;cent; and of structural materials, by 16.8 per cent. The value of metals produced in 1948 at $483,770,759, was about $87,000,000 more than in the previous year. There were substantial increases in the tonnages of copper, lead zinc nickel, and other base metals produced, but the rises in market prices for such metals accounted for most of the gains in output values. Production of gold at 3,495,403 ounces valued at $122,339,105 indicated an increase in volume of approximately 500,000 ounces and an increase in value of 14 per cent. Despite the benefits provided under the Emergency Gold Mining Assistance Act 1948 the volume of gold produced in the year was still nearly 2,000,000 ounces less than the record of 5,300,000 ounces established in 1941. The value of mineral fuels produced in 1948, at $158,787,255, was 44 per cent above the 1947 total. Coal production at 18,431,250 tons valued at $107,298,757, while substantially higher than in the preceding year was still half a million tons below the record reached in 1942. Striking developments in the Leduc field in Alberta were responsible for bringing the output of crude petroleum in the year to a new high of 12,098,166 barrels, valued at $36,858,959.

Jan 1, 1949

By C. A. Herbert

This paper sets forth the hazards of accumulations of explosive mixtures of methane and air due to inadequate ventilation, the causes of which are discussed as follows: 1. Lack of well-maintained air courses. 2. Air losses due to leaky stoppings, trap doors, and overcasts. 3. Faulty mining methods. 4. Poor supervision. A modified plan of room-and-pillar panel mine development is suggested, which, it is believed, will eliminate many off the hazards of gas accumulations inherent in the present method of mine development. It is also suggested that some water-proofing agent be used on the roof of permanent air-course entries in conjunction with roof bolting to eliminate the detrimental effect of the moisture-laden atmosphere during summer and thus prevent serious roof falls.

Jan 1, 1953

By James Diekmann

The Disputes Potential Index (DPI) is a computer program designed to help team mem¬bers assess the likelihood of contract disputes on a construction project. The program&apos;s predictions are based on data from 159 construction projects that encompass a variety of public and private projects. The impact of three categories of project characteristics are included in the DPI program, specifically, people, process and project characteristics. Ultimately, DPI returns an overall project score that indicates the likelihood of exces¬sive contract disputes. The output of a DPI analysis can be used as part of a contract readiness review or to define the need for extraordinary dispute avoidance procedures. This paper examines the development of DPI and presents the results of DPI analyses on several tunneling projects.

Jan 1, 1995

By Parry. V. F.

"INTRODUCTION Coal is a compressed mass of heterogeneous, macerated, metamorphosed plant remains that have collected in the earth's crust. Probably no two beds of coal have identical properties, and different parts of the same bed may vary considerably when measured by some of the many empirical tests that have been developed to classify or differentiate the properties of coal. Because of this great variability in properties, the commercial processing of coal to produce coke and byproducts has developed largely as an art based on experience, rather than as a science. Much empirical chemical research, however, has been and is being conducted on coal carbonization, and this work is of practical value in obtaining larger yields of gas and byproducts and in the improvement of the physical properties of the coke.Both ultimate and proximate analyses have been used for correlating purposes. 3/ In the United States the proximate analysis is used for the classification of coal according to rank and grade. The proximate analysis can be employed usefully in the coal—carbonization industry because separation of the combustible matter of coal into volatile matter and fixed carbon is, in fact, a small carbonization test conducted on 1 gram of coal heated in a platinum crucible.Small—Scale Laboratory Coking Tests,Many empirical tests have been devised for determining the coking properties and measuring the yield and quality of gas and byproducts obtainable from various coals. These tests, made on samples ranging from 25 grams (about 1 ounce) to 5 kilograms (11 pounds), furnish information that is roughly proportional in practical value to the size of the sample carbonized. However, the cost of the carbonization test also increases with the amount of the sample, so that for preliminary surveys of a number of coals, samples of 25 to 1,000 grams usually are employed."

Dec 1, 1939

By Christopher R. Harris

"Considerations are presented for developing and implementing self-hardening slurry mix designs to be utilized in barrier seepage walls. Slag-cement-cement-bentonite (SCCB) slurries are the primary focus, with some comparisons referenced to the more traditional Portland-based cement-bentonite (CB) slurries. Field and laboratory mixing methods are reviewed, including 1) single sack – single mixer method; 2) bentonite slurry mixer – cementitious addition mixer method; 3) bentonite mixer – grout mixer – CB blending mixer method. Major phenomena associated with the dynamics of barrier wall excavation, such as loss of water from the in-trench slurry and consolidation of in-trench slurry are discussed. Other topics touched upon include sand content effects, fluidizers utilized, and chemical contaminants. The role of higher bentonite to water ratio is reviewed, with demonstration of improvement of filtration properties, and an increase of water retention of the final consolidated product.IntroductionSelf-hardening slurry has been utilized to construct barrier seepage walls for many decades. This is essentially a single-step slurry excavation and backfill process whereby the trench-supporting fluid gains strength over a short period during installation and maintains or develops low hydraulic conductivity. The resulting curing slurry becomes the actual barrier wall as the resultant cement-augmented clay slurry now fulfills the dual purpose of both temporary trench stabilization and final cured-in-place product. This eliminates the requirement and expense of subsequent backfill/slurry displacement operations required in traditional barrier wall installations.Self-hardening slurries have been fabricated using a number of various clays, most commonly sodium bentonite, calcium bentonite, attapulgite, and sepiolite. Perhaps due to plentiful high quality sodium bentonite deposits found domestically, the proven excavation stabilization properties imparted from sodium bentonite slurries, sodium bentonites are typically specified for formulating self-hardening slurries in the US. Cementitious materials utilized most commonly are Portland cement and slag (ground blast furnace slag or GBFS). For the purposes of this discussion, self-hardening slurry having a cementitious of Portland will be referred to as CB. Those having cementitious material of GBFS replacing Portland (partially or wholly) will be referred to as SCCB."

Jan 1, 2016